Picking Your Valentine’s Day Outfit

Tags

apparels, blog, colors, Dailylook, fashion designers, fashion history, freelance fashion designer, garments, LBD, little black dress, outfit, Valentine's day

I had done a post on the Little Black Dress a while back, and I thought this would be just the right time to take a look at it again. February is here, and with Valentine’s Day just around the corner, all the ladies are just waiting to get jazzed up for that special night with their loved ones. This is one evening that you want to look PERFECT, and since it’s a Saturday night this time round, get ready for some serious competition from all the other pretty women around. All the popular hotspots are going to be brimming with beautiful ladies, and if you want to stand out, it’s going to take some preparation!

To help you choose what to wear, Daily Look has put together their best choices for the Little Black Dress The LBD forms the base of your look for the evening, and I’ve put together a couple of outfits – accessories and all – that I think will make your beau have eyes only for you the entire evening! Depending on your taste, pick which one of the two best suits you, and have a wonderful time with your special someone.THE LOOK: The classy stylish you wants to be sure of creating an impression, and this outfit is designed to do just that. This pleated LBD with lace all over, extending to the sleeves and a high neckline highlights your face and arms to their best. The gold Arab style necklace, ring and bracelet, complemented with gold rod earrings and a vintage gold hair comb proclaim you the Queen of your beloved’s heart. Paired with a brown leather purse and high heeled animal print slippers, this look is definitely a winner!

THE WISHLIST: Those of you aiming for a younger, flirtier and more daring look can opt for this second outfit, especially if you want to attract some jealous attention! A bare shoulders sleeveless spaghetti straps LBD with a pleated fringe creates a layered classy look that will have your loved one looking at you in a new light. Pair this with black stone-studded platinum/white gold based jewelry, like this choker necklace, bracelet and danglers. A studded watch and black and white chain purse, paired with sparkling stiletto sandals completes the ensemble and will definitely classify you as a head-turner.

I loved both these looks, and if the evening program calls for a romantic, intimate candlelight dinner, I would go for the former. But if it’s a night out on the town, the second look is definitely what I would opt for. So have fun, and enjoy your special evening!

---

Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion, the freelance fashion design studio for multiple product designing in apparels that caters to start-up fashion labels and growing fashion brands with a diverse portfolio of design services. She is a member of the Cherie Blair Foundation’s Women Entrepreneurship Program and has over a decade of fashion industry experience with international labels and start-ups.

---

Influence of African tribal fashion on the main stream fashion

Tags

African tribal fashion, African tribes, apparels, Burundi tribe, colors, Donna Karen, fabric, fashion blog, fashion history, freelance fashion designer, garments, Indian Tribes, Masai tribe, Stell Jean, Teke tribe, trends, Venda tribe, Wadaabe tribe, Zulu tribe

Africa is one of those places that are still well known for their various tribes that are present in the continent. Just like India, Africa has also become an inspiration for designers to come up with new designs, styles and prints that symbolize these tribes.

According to history, the early African clothing was pieced together from art, oral histories and traditions that are still practiced by the present day tribal members. Men usually didn’t wear any clothing and instead chose to decorate their bodies with paints or scars. When they did wear, it mostly consisted of animal skins and bark clothes.

(Photo Credits: http://goo.gl/P1lGgU , http://goo.gl/P2GG7G , http://goo.gl/K919QM , http://goo.gl/BT5oIe)

Women on the other hand, are dressed according to their marital status. Women wear clothes made out of beads if they were unmarried to reveal their status, while the married women cover themselves completely.

(Photo Credits:http://goo.gl/7BIfY1 , http://goo.gl/xodmbh , http://goo.gl/bu9vuB )

The animal skin and bark cloth was worn in different way by every tribe. While some draped it, others stitched it on the sides. After the weaving techniques were developed, Raffin, the fiber of a palm plant, and cotton became the most commonly used materials.

There are various designers who have used the African tribes as their inspiration for various collections. Stella Jean being one of them has many collections that have been based on the tribal theme, each collection with their own unique silhouettes and drapes that describe the eccentric designer perfectly.

(Photo Credits: Stella Jean 2013- http://goo.gl/rlpqTD )

Donna Karen presented her interpretation of the tribal print with clean cut beige and black tones that depict the subtle side of tribal prints used in Africa, while Mara Hoffman and Jenny Kee present their style in an explosion of colors combined with minimalist and extravagant usage of accessories respectively.

(Photo Credits: http://goo.gl/SU935v , http://goo.gl/rfNIrP, http://goo.gl/5wPlIu)

To find inspiration, designers have been exploring the ends of the Earth and beyond. They keep exploring continents to discover new cultures and traditions that were unknown off previously, to provide us with something new and exciting every fashion season.

---

Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion, the first virtual design studio that caters to new and upcoming fashion design labels with a diverse portfolio of design services. She is a member of the Cherie Blair Foundation’s Women Entrepreneurship Program and has over a decade of fashion industry experience with international labels and start-ups.

---

High Slit Skirts and Dresses – Trend alert 2015

Tags

Amanda Seyfried, Amber Heard, Angelina Jolie, apparels, Diane von Furstenberg, fashion blog, fashion designers, fashion history, fashion illustrations, freelance fashion designer, Jason Wu, Karolina Kurkova, Michael Kors, Peter Som, prints, surface embroideries, trend forecasting, trends, Virtual Fashion Design Studio

As all the fashion weeks come to an end, they leave behind the various trends for us to watch out for in the coming year. One of the popular trends this year was the high slit skirt. High slit skirts have been a part of an on and off trend that appears every year in different forms to dazzle us.

High slit skirts have become a part of fashion that every woman adores in her wardrobe to show off her feminine side that she contrasts with her professional self.

(Photo Credits: http://goo.gl/9PmYvq , http://goo.gl/E0X1TF , http://goo.gl/QJnBoL)

Amber Heard and Michael Kors collaborated to make this outfit the perfect combination of sophistication and sexiness. Many women were inspired to try the new emerging trend, which was followed by the boom of cotton blend maxi slit skirts on e-commerce sites like Ebay. For the spring 2012 collection, Peter Som predicted an upcoming trend by giving it his own flare of prints that were also a part of the collection.

(Photo Credits: http://goo.gl/Bp4ZhP, http://goo.gl/WevCLV)

Angelina Jolie displayed her elegance and classiness with this plain black slit dress that fitted perfectly to her slender bodice, while Amanda Seyfried contrasted the classics with a psychedelic print texture that suited her perfectly. Karolina Kurkova wore this number that is a signature style of Elie Saab’s femininity and drapes that are prepared for the woman wearing it.

(Photo Credits: http://goo.gl/0gu8fl , http://goo.gl/V9kbcP , http://goo.gl/ZEHV9H)

The high slit trend was also present in many of the Spring/Summer 2015 Ready-To-Wear collections in various forms and styles that showcased the designer’s inspiration. Diane von Furstenberg presented her inspiration in the form of flowing checks, while Altewai Saome and Jay Godfrey presented a more chic style.

(Photo Credits: http://goo.gl/DxaOnt , http://goo.gl/JpqLHe , http://goo.gl/fKecmR)

Jason Wu took the path of metallic shades and showcased a very humble outfit while on the other hand, Just Cavalli made a patchwork art of the flowing fabrics. Stripes’ being one of the other trends was a popular choice for the designers and Altuzarra presented his creativeness by combining it with an off mustard shade that changed the look of the entire outfit.

This trend inspires the designers to present their audience with a way to flaunt their femininity and sensuality with a simple look. The high slit skirts and dresses would become a part of every woman’s wardrobe to parade their style through the numerous choices that the trend is going to offer.

Don’t forget to get inspired from our other blogs on Trend alert 2015 – Plaids, Pocket dresses and Classic polo look .

---

Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion, the virtual design studio that caters to new and upcoming fashion design labels with a diverse portfolio of design services. She is a member of the Cherie Blair Foundation’s Women Entrepreneurship Program and has over a decade of fashion industry experience.

---

 

A tribute to Oscar de la Renta

Tags

Amal Alamuddin, Amy Adams, apparels, Beyonce, blog, Cameron Diaz, colors, creative, Emma Watson, fashion blog, fashion designers, fashion history, fashion illustrations, freelance fashion designer, garments, Oscar de la Renta, Oscar fashion, trends

Born in Santo Domingo in the year of 1932, the fashion world gained a precious gem for its collection, named Oscar de le Renta. He was trained by Cristobal Balenciaga and Antonio del Castillo and worked for Lanvin and Balmain before finally opening his own brand.

Oscar de la Renta became internationally known as one of the couturier who dressed Jacqueline Kennedy and even today, his fashion house continues to dress from film stars to royalty.

Image courtesy : Oscar de la Renta’s Spring/Summer Ready-to-wear 2015 collection

Oscar de la Renta’s 2015 spring/summer ready-to-wear 2015 collection was a complete representation of what Oscar de la Renta stands for. It comprised of feminism, elegance, beauty, seduction, sophistication, ambition, everything that a woman wanted herself to be. Oscar de la Renta captured this essence in each of his garments. As the Oscar de la Renta era ends, we decided to pick out some of his signature designs and pay a tribute to the most adored designer of all times.

Cameron Diaz (Photo Credits: http://goo.gl/rZYbDe )

Cameron Diaz flaunted this gold-dusted gown in the Oscars of 2010. The exquisite detailing and the flow of the fabric draped around her felt like it was a part of her. Oscar de la Renta knew exactly how to flourish the features of Diaz on this occasion.

Amy Adams (Photo Credits: http://goo.gl/xiKGoN )

Amy Adams wore this stunning Oscar de la Renta number for the Oscars 2013 and took away a lot of breaths. Amy Adams wore this number with elegance and grace that made her seem like a floating angel.

Emma Watson (Photo Credits: http://goo.gl/dXJVGC )

For the premiere of her upcoming movie Noah, Emma Watson carried of Oscar de la Renta’s autumn/winter 2014 collection for jaw-dropping effects. The elegant front and the daring low back combination worked well to represent the ambitious feminine women of today’s era.

Beyonce (Photo Credits: http://goo.gl/oYAfHS )

For the Vogue shoot 2014 featuring Beyonce, Oscar de la Renta formed this speechless design that would make any women pause and admire the perfection this dress. The waviness of the fabric and layering combined with its colour created an unnatural spell for every woman.

Amal Alamuddin (Photo Credits: http://goo.gl/8Xr7Ns )

The last on our list is the wedding gown of Amal Alamuddin which took place in September 2014 and was exclusively featured in Vogue. The off-shoulder laced gown represented the traditional pattern while also being one of the absolutely stunning designs of the year.

Oscar de la Renta is the name every woman depended on to make them feel beautiful. He fulfilled the dreams and made wishes come true for women all over the world.

Top 5 Halloween inspired fashion outfits

Tags

apparels, blog, fashion blog, fashion designers, fashion history, freelance fashion designer, garments, Halloween, Jean Paul Gaultier, Lady Gaga

Fashion and Halloween have been inspiring each other for decades, and every time the result is exquisite. Halloween brings the designers a new inspiration and makes them explore their Gothic side.

Here are our picks for the Halloween inspired fashion outfits:

Lady GaGa :

(Photo Credits: http://goo.gl/7bCjEN )

The lady with the crazy sense of style made a statement with Lady GaGa’s meat dress, in the MTV Video Music Awards by wearing a dress and shoes made entirely of meat. There were many interpretations as to the significance of the dress, the most popular being, Lady Gaga not being a piece of meat.

Tim Burton:

(Photo Credits: http://goo.gl/jQsHhR )

Tim Burton’s Magical Fashion shoot has the perfect combination of Halloween and his magical imagination. The shoot comprised of various designers and brands that produced inspiring designs on the theme that gave us a peep to the wild interpretations that can be constructed.

John Galliano :

(Photo Credits: http://goo.gl/NRfxyF )

In the fall of 2009, John Galliano found inspiration for his Ready-to-wear collection in the witches of the past. The make-up may say Witches of the past, but the attire is truly a Galliano interpretation that makes us look at the design in admiration.

Alexander McQueen :

(Photo Credits: http://goo.gl/dRnNiv )

Halloween is empty without Alexander McQueen being a part of it. The designer is known was his elaborate and unconventional designs that inspire others to follow and research his style. The outfit describes the feel of Halloween and Goth in a “bloody” way that can only be done by McQueen.

Jean Paul Gaultier :

(Photo Credits: http://goo.gl/iaz8nG )

Jean Paul Gaultier in the spring of 2009 presented his outfit of the Halloween Goth bride on the ramp. Nothing represents the Gothic culture and Halloween like the colour black and with that the Goths’s unconventional philosophy of wearing a black bridal dress on their wedding day.

There are many more outfits that resemble the spirit of Halloween and all its aspects in ways that sometimes seems unimaginable to the mind, but the designers keep on exciting us with their eccentric ways.

Creating the Perfect DIY Fashion Ensemble

Tags

apparels, clothes, colors, DIY, Do it yourself fashion, fashion blog, fashion designers, fashion history, freelance fashion designer, garments, ideas, Punk, recycle clothes, sustainability, trends, upcycling fashion

Love wearing stuff you’ve created yourself? There are hundreds of posts out there dedicated to making your own fashion design – from old tees, shirts, skirts and more. DIY (Do-It-Yourself) fashion can be an interesting and inexpensive way to apply your creative skills and create some new and interesting clothes and accessories.

So why not create an ensemble entirely made up of your DIY creative skills? We’ve already showcased DIY fashion post in the past, and thought we’d put one up for you again, from the hundreds of examples we’ve come across. You’ll need a few hours, some glue, paints or markers, and a small amount of bling to create:

1. A Top (any t-shirt)
2. A pair of jeans (always a favorite!)
3. A pair of shoes (any serviceable pair)
4. A purse/clutch
5. A belt
6. A headband

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So here goes!

1. The Top

I loved this Lattice T-shirt design by Wobisobi. It’s simple to make, requires just a few cuts and studs to turn an ordinary boring tee into a glamorous top – no sewing needed. And it can be done in just twenty minutes!

2. Jeans

Tired of your old pair of jeans? Dip the lower portion – a few inches will do – in watered down bleach for a couple of hours (more if they’re dark), wash and let them dry completely. Then use fabric paint or permanent markers to create your choice of designs, like mintedstrawberry did. The bleach and washing might take half a day, but the designs are up to you, so an hour should do it! Bleach and color markers are the only tools needed!

3. Shoes

Spice up your old shoes with a little lace or studs like ispydiy – all you need is a glue gun and sufficient braid. Be sure to let the glue dry completely before you wear them though. Time required – 20 minutes.

4. Purse/Clutch

No ensemble is complete without a clutch, and we love this cute neon number by SurpriseDIY. This one requires a bit of effort as you’ll have to stitch the pieces together, but it requires straight stitches and should be easy to do. A little arty press stud or vintage button completes the bag. If you’re inclined, you can add a thin leather strap through button holes in the side as well and sling it over your shoulder. A couple of hours of effort – but the result is worth it!

5. Belt

Grab a decent length of canvas/cotton rope, slide a few beads from each side, knot up the ends and voila – a funky belt to go with your top and jeans! You’ll need no more than a few minutes for this, and the beads need to be the right size, like the ones transientexpression has used. If you’re inclined, dye the rope in fabric dye, but be sure to dry it well and wash thoroughly before use – you don’t want rope-marks on that funky top!

6. Headband

Create this funky leather headband from pieces of scrap leather and a vintage button, like missikrissie’s done. All you need is a plain old headband, some glue and leather scraps. You can create your own shapes and designs to turn heads your way with this funky headpiece.

Loved this piece? Do write in to us with your ideas and creations!

---

Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion, the first virtual design studio that caters to new and upcoming fashion design labels with a diverse portfolio of design services. She is a member of the Cherie Blair Foundation’s Women Entrepreneurship Program and has over a decade of fashion industry experience with international labels and start-ups.

---

Highlights of Berlin Fashion Week

Tags

apparels, Berlin, Berlin Fashion Week, blog, fashion, fashion blog, fashion designers, fashion history, fashion illustrations, Fashion Show Berlin, Fashion Week Berlin, freelance fashion designer, GreenShowroom, Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Berlin, pattern

Among mainland Europe’s powerhouses of commerce and arguably its largest economy, Germany has been lagging in one key industry – fashion. Milan, Paris and London far outrank Berlin in the European and global fashion industry and the Germans have been working hard to catch up.

Since 2007, the Senate Department for Economics, Technology and Research has been promoting the German fashion industry by sponsoring the Berlin Fashion Week twice a year. The program includes a variety of events ranging from the pinnacle Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin to niche events like Bread & Butter (international trade fair for street and urban fashion) high fashion ordering platform Show & Order, as well as shows for plus size fashion, ethical fashion and the eco-fashion show GreenShowroom.

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin for Spring-Summer 2015 took place in July which had featured designers such as Grazia, Marc Cain, Laurel and Schumacher. The overall tone was subdued colors with a focus on lightweight breathable fabric.

Design by Grazia (Images: Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Berlin)

Design by Marc Cain (Images: Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Berlin)

Design by Laurel (Images: Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Berlin)

Design by Schumacher (Images: Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Berlin)

The GreenShowroom featured upcoming designers from Germany like Johnanna Riplinger, Edelziege and Katharina Kaiser, with a focus on simple styling and detailing.

Design by Johnanna Riplinger (Image : GreenShowroom)

Design by Edelziege (Image : GreenShowroom)

Design by Katharina Kaiser (Image : GreenShowroom)

The ethical fashion show highlights included stylish casuals by Asquith of London, modern minimalist designs by Sonia (Netherlands) and Peopletree’s fair-trade collection.

Designs from Asquith (Courtesy:Ethical Fashion Show Berlin)

Designs from Sonia (Image : Ethical Fashion Show Berlin)

Design from Peopletree (Image: Ethical Fashion Show Berlin)

Besides these, Showfloor Berlin and Lavera Showfloor were two of the notable events where fashion brands could showcase their latest collections.

While the fashion week did have a large number of German designers participating, getting international visibility will require a few more seasons. But the fact that Mercedes Benz has included Berlin as one of the fashion weeks it sponsors along with New York, Miami, Australia and Istanbul should see increased interest from buyers in the near future.

---

Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion, the first virtual design studio that caters to new and upcoming fashion design labels with a diverse portfolio of design services. She is a member of the Cherie Blair Foundation’s Women Entrepreneurship Program and has over a decade of fashion industry experience with international labels and start-ups.

---

Origins of Fashion: Tie-Dye

Tags

apparels, fabric, fashion blog, fashion designers, fashion history, fashion illustrations, freelance fashion designer, garments, Indian fashion, Japanese Shibori, Thailand Mudmee, Tie dye

Tie-dye is a technique in which a garment is tied, folded or knotted in different ways and then dipped in organic or factory dyes to create patterns in the dyed fabric. While many associate the advent of tie-dye to the liberal culture of the hippies in the 60s, the process of tie-dye has been around for over a thousand years, with the first known instances of tie-dye garments dating to the 6th century in India, Japan and Africa.

Indian Bandhini (Courtesy: Indiamart)

Japanese Shibori (Courtesy: Akemi Nakano Kohn) designs

Dyeing as a technique was known to prehistoric man, who used various plant extracts from leaves, bark, flowers, fruits and roots to colour garments. Folding, forming and knotting gave the dye a pattern based on the extent to which the dye penetrated. This created designs which were attractive. In India, one of the oldest form of tie-dye – known as Bandhini – is still found flourishing today. This involves tying the fabric with small knots to created dotted patterns on the cloth. Asian tie-dye techniques such as Shibori and Batik are also popular. The Chinese used tie-dye for garments from the 6th century, and called it “zha ran” or “jiao xie”. These were worn only by priests and nobility, signifying the value and importance given to this technique of garment production. The Japanese used tie dye as far back as 552 AD, and developed the Shibori style, in which certain areas were restricted from reaching the dye, through and intricate pattern of stitching, tying and folding using sticks, rocks, threads and rubber bands. They also used sumi dye to paint certain designs and patterns which became darker after dyeing as compared to the surrounding areas.

Examples of African tie-dye (courtesy: Tictoc)

Mudmee (Courtesy: Mexicali Blues) designs

Africa and places like Peru have also shown historical traces of tie-dyed fabric. In Africa, the Yoruba women of West Nigeria use indigo (a natural plant extract) to dye cloth in various hues, creating patterns of blue shades on the cloth, due to stitching and folding techniques. Ikat, originating in Asia, involves tie-dyeing the yarn of the warp or weft before weaving. Another popular technique known as Mudmee originates from Thailand and the Indochina region, and involves a slightly different style with more subdued colours, generally on a black background as compared to white for most of the other types.

Hippie tie-dye designs (Courtesy: Wheretoget.it)

Hippie tie-dye designs (Courtesy: Wheretoget.it)

Tie-dye became popular in the modern era through the hippie movement of the 60s, which popularised the making of home-made designs and patterns using psychedelic colours. It became synonymous with the liberal culture and freedom of expression, with artist like Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin making it popular among the youth of that generation.

Tie-dye designs from House of Holland (Courtesy: Whowhatwear.com)

Tie-dye designs from Tory Burch (Courtesy: Whowhatwear.com)

Tie-dye designs from Miu Miu (Courtesy: Whowhatwear.com)

Modern tie-dye is mass-produced and largely consists of tie-dye prints, since original tie-dye is difficult to consistently replicate. Designers such as Miu Miu, House of Holland and Tory Burch have made modern tie-dye designs popular among the premium set, reviving a style that has seen a drop in popularity over the last few decades. In spite of the acceptance of tie-dye even among premium fashion designers, it still remains the commoner’s ultimate expression of fashion freedom.

---

Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion, the first virtual design studio that caters to new and upcoming fashion design labels with a diverse portfolio of design services. She is a member of the Cherie Blair Foundation’s Women Entrepreneurship Program and has over a decade of fashion industry experience with international labels and start-ups.

---

Cutting Edge Trends in the Fashion Design Industry – Zero Waste Fashion

Tags

apparels, blog, fashion blog, fashion designers, fashion history, freelance fashion designer, pattern, Siddhartha Upadhyaya’s DPOL (Direct Pattern On Loom, sustainability, tech pack, technology, Virtual Fashion Design Studio, zero waste, Zero Waste Design, Zero Waste Manufacturing

As the fashion industry evolves and adapts to the evolving norms of environmental sustainability, new ways and means of reducing waste and increasing recyclability of clothing are being developed. Sustainability efforts have been focused on key areas like reducing fiber loss, yarn loss, fabric wastage and recycling materials for new garments.

Standard designs with cutting result in approximately 15 to 20 per cent of fabric wastage, resulting in millions of tons of garbage that typically ends up in landfills every year. To reduce this, designers came up with the concept of designing garments to ensure minimal or nil wastage of the fabric. The techniques to do this are called pre-consumer zero waste techniques. The main categories into which they fall are zero waste design and zero waste manufacturing.

Holly McQuillan – Kimono Twist dress – Image courtesy : http://goo.gl/Nh3zXi

Holly McQuillan – Kimono Twist dress pattern plotting – Image courtesy : http://goo.gl/Nh3zXi

In Zero Waste Design, the pattern maker cuts a pattern in such a way within the structure of the fabric so that there is no scrap of fabric unutilized. New York’s Parsons the New School for Design – the setting of the famous “Project Runway” series has launched a course on Zero waste fashion design and international zero waste fashion designers such as Mark Liu (England), Susan Dimasi (Australia) Julian Roberts (England) and Yeohlee Teng (Malaysia) are working to bring the trend into mainstream fashion. While creating patterns like jigsaw puzzles (Mark Liu’s “jigsaw cut”) which leave no cutting margins is one approach, the other is to drape the fabric and then decide where to tuck, cut and stitch the folds and layers to eliminate fabric loss, like David Andersen. The challenge lies in the fact that zero waste design turns the entire process of fashion design upside down. The standard approach in fashion is to create design illustrations and sketches, present these to a patternmaker who then creates the patterns for manufacturing. Here, the designer has to start with the pattern and then work backwards to determine what designs can accommodate. Holly McQuillan’s Kimono twist dress is a great example of applying zero waste design.

Zero Waste Manufacturing is done at the manufacturing stage to eliminate waste material cut-off. While techniques like Indian fashion designer and technologist Siddhartha Upadhyaya’s DPOL (Direct Pattern On Loom)- which creates the required panels directly in weaving the fabric, thereby eliminating all waste from cutting – are gaining ground, these are yet to reach mainstream production as the investment required in machine modification and retooling is tremendous, preventing commercial large-scale ventures from venturing into this area. An alternative has been to ensure the use of cut-offs in the construction of other garments, thereby ensuring that the combined patterns of two or more designs result in a zero waste production process. Other designers like Daniel Silverstein use the leftover cut-offs as appliques and embellishments to the garment, ensuring not a scrap is wasted.

Mark Liu’s Zero-Waste Designs – Image courtesy: http://goo.gl/oEl5LV

Another widely debated way (and according to the industry, one of the simplest to implement) is the reuse of old garments to create new designs. This is known as post-consumer zero waste, and involves the re-cutting, shaping and stitching of old fabrics to create new garments. Portions of garments recycled through a waste collection system are purchased by manufacturers to create their new designs. Denim manufacturers are among the first to promote the reuse of old garments to develop new ones, given the life and durability of the fabric. This is another way of extending the life of the garment and reducing waste. This method too faces hurdles in terms of mass-managing the way old garments are collected and recycled, but retailers like Wal-Mart are looking for solutions.

So how should a designer go about creating a zero waste design? Designer Zada Anditon offers some useful tips, as does Timo Rissanen. The biggest fundamental change for any designer is to get the mind-set right from the beginning. By working backwards from the fabric to developing the final design illustration requires a change in thinking from traditional designing and can be a long and arduous process.

Designers have to break the mold of their thinking process in order to design clothes that are truly zero-waste. But with an increasing effort towards better environmental sustainability, the trend should see increasing traction in coming years.

---

Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion. She is a Freelance Fashion Designer, Sourcing and Manufacturing Consultant helping fashion brands to plan, design and develop new collections with small quantity garment manufacturing. Fuel4Fashion social links: Twitter, Pinterest Instagram

---

 

Trends in the bridal wear segment

Tags

apparels, blog, bridal wear, bride, colors, fabric, fashion blog, fashion designers, fashion history, freelance fashion designer, garments, pattern, veil, wedding dress

Weddings, in every part of the world are a challenging affair. From making the guest list to deciding the car, the preparations are endless. Bride-to-be will always be expounding over details, most important of all over the issues of her wedding dress. None can demur on her actions, after all a bride does get a little panicky on her wedding. The most important thing although, for a bride, on her wedding day is her wedding dress. Western wedding dresses have seen a lot of changes where trends jumped across eras and made appearances on the aisle.

Image Courtesy: http://goo.gl/il0i2J
Queen Victoria on the Aisle

Image Courtesy: http://goo.gl/n1fhbV
Wedding dress of Queen Victoria

Image Courtesy: http://goo.gl/CLfFJU
Splendor Royal

Image Courtesy: http://goo.gl/8ly4q4
Wedding dress of Queen Elizabeth I, The Queen Mother

Image Courtesy: http://goo.gl/H076Wg
An 18th century wedding dress

Earlier the wedding dresses were huge on embroidery and laces like Queen Victoria’s sleeve dropping dress which was very heavy. Also sleeves were a noticeable aspect of any wedding dress of those times.

Image Courtesy: http://goo.gl/EnuwbY
Elizabeth II’s wedding dress

Image Courtesy: http://goo.gl/WbeygP Epic wedding dress of all eras

Image Courtesy: http://goo.gl/73akcv
Jacqueline’s huge veil

This dress is considered as one of the most iconic wedding dress of all times and was made by Ann Lowe for Jacqueline when she was getting married to the then senator, John F Kennedy.

Veil was considered as a very important part of the earlier wedding dress; Jacqueline Kennedy’s dress had a very big and embroidered veil. This dress is acclaimed to be one of the sexiest and prettiest of all time.

Next is our favorite Princess Diana. Her wedding dress and veil makes swoon. Her wedding was like a fairy tale and she herself looked no less than a princess.

Image Courtesy: http://goo.gl/6OPvjI
Princess of Hearts- Diana

Image Courtesy: http://goo.gl/ZodKVW
A 1980 wedding dress

Image Courtesy: http://goo.gl/aNlFJK
Royal Wedding

With the change of time, women started wearing gowns that stick to their figure and gave them shape and big sleeves and curves were discarded. But the long veil still sticks around.

Image Courtesy: http://goo.gl/Ukrv4H
Title: Wedding gown from the movie Princess Dairies

Image Courtesy: http://goo.gl/2hlwPQ
Duchess of Cambridge Katherine

Image Courtesy: http://goo.gl/W48foP
Kate’s wedding dress

Also today white gowns are sidelined and people also started to go for colored wedding dresses.

Image Courtesy: http://goo.gl/KevzyS
Jessica Biel wedding dress

Image Courtesy: http://goo.gl/dHHaFR
Reese Witherspoon wedding dress

Image Courtesy: http://goo.gl/m2eZja
JLo in her wedding gown

Also some varied experiments have bought forward some beautiful wedding pieces.

Image Courtesy: http://goo.gl/aHwvKE
Gossip girl wedding dress

Of all the dresses across the timeline which one really touched your heart?

Let me know in the comments section.